Low stage crossing at Fitzroy Crossing – 10,000 Birds
At any time when we go to Geikie Gorge we make a detour to go to the Low stage crossing at Fitzroy Crossing if the climate permits. Having noticed the gorgeous Purple-crowned Fairy-wrens in Geikie Gorge we hoped so as to add one other chook species to our 2022 yr record. There have been lots of modifications over current years on the low stage crossing and after some critical erosion a number of years in the past the observe right down to the river was closed to automobiles. The crossing itself continues to be holding up, so you possibly can stroll down the dusty observe and observe the bird-life up and down stream. Since I final wrote in regards to the crossing in 2015 we have now visited yearly and as you possibly can think about there may be at all times one thing new to see. At completely different occasions of yr there are completely different birds to see and the water stage is extraordinarily variable. By September annually it’s often at its lowest stage and on this current go to it was already previous 1pm and a sizzling and dry 43c.
As you possibly can see within the header picture it’s now fairly a steep and dusty descent to the Fitzroy River. When it is rather sizzling you must put on closed-in footwear otherwise you danger burning your ft. There have been quite a few Black Kites and Whistling Kites hovering within the thermals over the river. We may hear Gray-crowned Babblers within the dense bush as we made our approach down.
Fitzroy River from the low stage bridge
The primary birds that we noticed have been Straw-necked Ibis ingesting on the river after which Magpie-larks and Black-fronted Dotterels. A number of bushes have been in flower and so they have been attracting Little Friarbirds, Rufous-throated Honeyeaters, White-gaped Honeyeaters and Yellow-tinted Honeyeaters. Fairy Martins have been dipping into the water and likewise Rainbow Bee-eaters swooped down catching bugs and returning to perch on the branches overhanging the river. There was fairly a raucous sound and the Sulphur-crested Cockatoos have been within the bushes and coming right down to drink.
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
We wandered throughout the low stage bridge to see what was beside the water in every path and shortly added Brolga, Peaceable Doves, Little Pied Cormorants, Masked Lapwings and Bar-shouldered Doves to the record for the placement. There have been different raptors together with Brown Falcon and Brown Goshawk. Wanting again in the direction of the bushes we quickly seen further birds together with Lengthy-tailed Finch, Rufous Whistler, Yellow-throated Miner, Paperbark Flycatcher, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Nice Bowerbird and White-winged Triller. I had seen a really small pool of water that was attracting the Double-barred Finch and I may hear one thing else within the close by dense bushes. It didn’t take lengthy and abruptly there have been Star Finch on the fringe of the pool ingesting. We hadn’t noticed Star Finch but in 2022, so standing out within the solar was price it! The Star Finch knew learn how to cool off!
Star Finch
When the Star Finch bathed they virtually turned invisible till they stood up and their crimson payments gave them away.
Star Finch and Double-barred Finch bathing and ingesting
As we climbed again up the steep dusty slope to the automotive we seen we have been being watched by a few agile wallabies. They have been staying within the shade for apparent causes and as soon as the daylight began to fade they might make their approach right down to the water to drink.
Agile wallaby
The climate could be difficult at one of the best of occasions, however the rewards for venturing out in the midst of the day will also be rewarding. Most of the finch species must drink all through the day and if you too can do this in applicable clothes and footwear you might nicely observe a chook species you haven’t seen but this yr.